Switzerland DI PLOM ACY
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OLD BUT GOLD
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E=MC2
Switzerland is one of the only two countries to have a square flag.
Coffee in Zurich is the most expensive in the world, costing $3.65.
Swiss have one of the longest life expectancies in the world, 83 years.
There are 208 mountains over 3,000m high, with 24 of them over 4,000m.
Albert Einstein developed his famous formula E=MC2 formula in Bern.
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Only a Dialogue Can Move us Forward Switzerland is concerned about the recent developments related to the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and is encouraging parties to talk to each other. Such circumstances are distracting Serbia from Improving the rule of law which is a top priority for the country’s future I N T E RV I E W
n a particularly challenging phase of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, we spoke with the H.E.Philippe Gérald Guex, Swiss Ambassador to Serbia, about the possible solutions to bring confidence and trust back on track in this dialogue. It will allow Serbia to concentrate on the EU integration process where important steps are still missing.
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What is your current view of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue? What kind of progress should be made? — It is obvious that the current phase of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is very challenging for both sides. Switzerland is concerned about the recent developments, such as the violation of CEFTA agreement by Pristina, and their impact on the people. In such difficult context, it is essential to keep all channels of communication opened and to avoid further negative rhetoric and acts, undermining the agreements signed in Brussels. Switzerland is not only encouraging the parties to talk to each other, we are also actively pursuing our own initiative of dialogue that brings together various players from both sides, from civil society to academia, journalists, parliamentarians and politicians (www.cigonline.net). It is essential to bring confidence and trust back. In Switzerland, we strongly believe in the merits of social dialogue and that no solution should be just imposed on people.
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How much is this situation a burden to the process of European integration of Serbia? — The main challenge is that these negative developments between Belgrade and Pristina are distracting the Serbian government and the Serbian parliament from other important tasks. When we think about the European integration of Serbia, there is a strong view shared by many in the international community that improving the rule of law is a top priority for the country’s future. Rule of law is crucial not only for the very basic functioning of the judicial system, but because for instance providing legal security is the best way to attract more investors in Serbia. We therefore encourage the government and the parliament to continue to work on the judicial aspect of the constitutional reform and to do it in the best interest of the people living in Serbia. Excluding the chapter 35, what is your assessment of Serbia's progress in this process? — If we take a wider view over the last few years, it is obvious that Serbia has made progress in various sectors that are part of its European integration. The progress cannot be measured only by the opening of new chapters of the EU acquis, but more broadly by the socio-economic transformation that is taking place in the society. When one sees for instance the dynamism of the IT sector in Serbia and the prospects linked
H.E. PHILIPPE G É RA L D G U E X Swiss Ambassador to Serbia
The rule of law and the preservation of all fundamental freedoms are essential elements contributing to the social cohesion which the government should always have in mind
to digitalization, there is undoubtedly a positive development happening. However all sectors are equally important, from the agriculture to the industry and the various services, including tourism, etc., so that no one is left behind. It is particularly important for Serbia to concentrate as well on the development of its municipalities, which will have to absorb most part of the EU funds in the future. Moreover towns and municipalities will have to implement 70% of all EU laws and regulations. This is an area where Switzerland is for instance providing support, helping to build the capacity of municipalities to deliver good services to citizens. What issues should be a priority for the Serbian government in 2019? — Here too we have to take into consideration the bigger picture. What is one of the biggest challenges that Serbia is currently facing? The fact that part of its population is leaving the country to look for better opportunities abroad, particularly young people, and that at the same time the birth rate in Serbia, as in other parts of Europe, is very low. The Serbian government is of course aware of this situation. It requires an overall effort of all branches of the government to continue to reform all sectors of the economy, to promote innovation, to invest at the local level, in order to make sure that the population feels that the government is improving the social and professional condi-
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tions. I feel sorry for those young men and women who tell us that they intend to leave the country because they or their families do not have the right connexions to find a proper job. There have been some encouraging results in the overall economy but these efforts should be strengthened. And let me repeat : the rule of law and the preservation of all fundamental freedoms are essential elements contributing to the social cohesion which the government should always have in mind. In the light of its development assistance to Serbia, which reforms in our country does Switzerland pay the biggest attention to? — First of all let me tell you that Switzerland is among the four largest bilateral donors in Serbia and I need to add, that we have been the only donor continuously present without interruption since 1991. We provide support where it is most needed. The Swiss Cooperation Strategy for the period 2018-2021 is very much in line with the Government’s priorities towards European integration and fosters a knowledge-based economy, promotion of employability, financial stability, digitalization and closer relations of citizens and their local governments for a more inclusive development. Our focus is on less developed regions and a more balanced development of cities and municipalities across the country for better perspectives for all citizens. This is why Switzerland supports the transfer of tasks to the local level and the necessary capacity building. It is at the local level where concrete results can be achieved, furthermore most necessary reforms in view of Serbian’s EU accession have to be
dealt with at local level. As a sign of our commitment EUR 90 Million of support are foreseen for the next four years, which is an increase of 10% in comparison to the previous strategy. One of the areas in which you have been providing a continuous help is facilitating innovation and formation of a start-up community in Serbia. Are you satisfied with the results of these investments? — The Serbian IT sector has a great potential and innovation and digitalization are priorities of Serbia. As one of the European leaders, Switzerland strongly supports this sector in Serbia because it significantly enhances Serbia’s competitiveness, increases export of high-tech products and services, and prevent young educated people to leave the country. We have supported the establishment and development of the Science and Technology Park Belgrade to Serbia with EUR 1.3 Million so far. The Park connects science with the economy. More importantly, it provides opportunities for young IT experts to develop their innovative projects into start-ups and place their products and services on the domestic and international market. With the model that has been developed in the Techno Park, concrete and visible results were achieved. They are impressive – since 2015, more than 600 young people were employed in the Park, while its companies created 29 million EUR of exports until now. In the coming period, we want to explore possibilities to support the intention of the Government of Serbia to expand this model in other locations around the country. In many cities in
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IT SECTOR Switzerland strongly supports IT sector in Serbia because it significantly enhances Serbia’s competitiveness, increases export, and prevents young educated people to leave the country.
Serbia, there is a strong potential for collaboration between the scientific community and the economy – we remain committed to develop this further. How much did the structure of the Serbian economy change thanks to the reforms? Are there now more opportunities for improving the links between the two economies? — The shock of the 2008 financial crisis, which had many repercussions in Serbia and in the region, is still present, although recently there were encouraging signs in terms of the return of growth. The Serbian economy cannot avoid the impact of these global trends. However Serbia can play on its comparative advantages, such as the already mentioned IT sector as well as the agriculture and food processing for instance. The reforms are going to bring more transparency to the economic process and hopefully reduce the so-called grey economy, which is very damaging for Serbia. There are many areas in which Switzerland and Serbia can further develop their economic relations, which are already good but with great potential. Several large Swiss companies are already present in Serbia. Many small and medium size investors are also interested to invest in many sectors, such as wood industry for instance. However they need to be able to find a stable business environment. I would also finally mention the incredible strength of the Serbian community living in Switzerland, which create a unique situation that can also further develop economic bonds. At the end, as we have seen with all the questions you asked, it is about the interest of the people.
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Serbian Economy in 2019Challanges and Motivations A number of analyses indicate that the trend of foreign investments has not decreased and that Serbia smartly invests more and more in the healthiest sectors of the economy I N T E RV I E W
M A J O M I ĆOV I Ć Chairman of Managing Board of SwissSerbian Chamber of Commerce (SSCC) and CEO of Sky Express d.o.o.
bserving the reactions from the majority of our members and the members of other chambers, our general impression is that the most of the existing investors would re-invest in the Serbian economy, if they were given a chance, if the trend of changes in the country were to continue, and if the already applied changes were to develop and evolve in more detail and more pragmatically while following the pace of modern businesses in the world.
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What do your market analyses show about the changes in the business climate in Serbia? What would you single out as key steps forward? — A number of analyses indicate that that Serbia explicitly invests more and more in the healthiest sectors of the economy (IT sector, agricultural sector, tourism, education, energy), and this is particularly important, that the country has carried out activities related to strategic digitization of businesses and social eco-systems. If we are talking about problems, we need to underline again the issue of corruption, the legal system, the tax policy and supervision, and the efficiency of public administration. I would add here that we expect to see an improvement in the issues relating to taxation and the system's general financial postulates, following the Ministry of Finance implementing new legislative measures since December. As a special success of Serbian society and the state, I would like
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to single out the introduction of a dual education system, which created the prerequsites for Serbia to join industrialized economies, such as Switzerland's, Germany's and Austria's, where, after graduation, students are largely prepared for working and work-related specificities in modern companies. Of course, the political and security situation in the country is also of great importance, as is the stable exchange rate of the dinar. Which challenges are we going to have to tackle in 2019? — Next year will be challenging for both the state administration and economic eco-system. After the successful year 2018, the ongoing trend should be perpetuated with a more ambitious plan, the more obvious projects of Serbian companies and more effective fight against the remaining negativities in the economic system. On the other hand, not only successes are inherited, problems are too so the 'reminders' directed primarily at the Prime Minister Brnabić's cabinet will continue to be made, that is for sure. It is also necessary to make the general business procedures, especially those related to public administration, as efficient as possible. Business people must feel that the public administration is working for them, not vice versa. I do not advocate the dominance of the interests of the private economy over the citizens or the public sector's interests, but let's not forget that tax is levied on stimulated, agile business entities that are confident that the state is doing everything in its power to create more efficient economic conditions for them. Another aspect is certainly focusing on supporting Serbia's most successful industries such as ICT which
in 2018, achieved an incredible success, generating 1 billion euro worth of exports and having over a 10% share in the Serbian GDP. In addition to this branch, I would like to mention the need for further engagement regarding the so-called agrotech businesses, based on modern technological innovations. In 2019, the SSCC will actively support the transfer of knowledge and investments of the Swiss agro-tech companies to Serbia, which they consider to be an ideal agro-oasis of Europe.
GDPR is not only a buzzword, as it is flippantly interprented in certain insufficiently uniformed circles Can we claim that we are already experiencing positive effects of dual education in Serbia? — Yes, by all means! Since the beginning of this year, the SSCC's has adopted a clear stance regarding the support for the dual education process and is an active factor in the developments related to this project. This year, we had several important events dedicated this issue, which culminated with a great conference held in October at the Hilton Hotel, when over one hundred VIP guests participated in an open dialogue, such as Minister Šarčević, President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Marko Čadež, Assistant Minister of Education Dr. Gabrijela Grujić, the Swiss Ambassador, H.E. Philippe Guex, and one of the leading European experts on dual education, Dr. Ursula Renold. This year alone, 12 new education-
al profiles have been created out of a total of 32, and over 3,500 students in Serbia are participating in dual education, while more than 600 companies want to get involved in this type of cooperation between education and business. These are all successful arguments that no other country in the region can boast about. As a GDPR expert, what is your message for Serbian companies? — GDPR is not only a buzz-word, as it is flippantly interprented in certain insufficiently uniformed circles. Although Serbia is not an EU member, we should not forget the recently adopted Law on Personal Data Protection, which to a great extent, contains GDPR's postulates. In addition, the number of foreign, primarily EU citizens is increasing and their personal data are stored in the databases of public companies and institutions, as well as with service organizations. The fact that all these data are digitally deposited in the computer system creates an opportunity for malicious subjects to access data by incapacitating the protection system – data is then copied to their systems and / or worse, it is "locked" or made public. Any of the mentioned breaches can expose a company that did not preserve such data to the possibility of serious lawsuits that carry high penalties, not to mention the loss of confidence in such firms. In any case, a lot is being done to raise the level of awareness of all employees in companies. I would like to underline once again - the greatest risk for the system is not the system itself, but unfortunately the so-called "human factor", namely the ignorance and unwillingness of employees to behave in a an adequate manner and to defend from malicious activities.
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Expanding Business in Switzerland CarGo is expanding beyond the borders of Serbia. A Serbian company arrives in Switzerland to cooperate with the famous Swiss carrier Züri taxi 7×2 C O R P O R AT E
he Serbian company CarGo, which has carried out over a million rides in Belgrade so far, will expand its operations to Switzerland from mid-December. Zurich is the first city in which CarGo applications will be available, following the collaboration with the famous Swiss carrier Züri Taxi 7×2.
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AGREEMENT Director of the CarGo Company Vuk Guberinić and owner of Züri Taxi 7×2 Cihan Cevik signed the Agreement on Cooperation, which made the CarGo application available in the Western European market for the first time ever. After signing the agreement, Guberinić said that citizens of Zurich will be exclusively transported in hybrid cars and that he is proud that CarGo, as the Serbian brand was becoming recognizable around the world. “The goal of our company is to export our ideas and solutions which engineers, designers and developers from Serbia have been working on… We are pleased that the world begun to recognize our application, which can now be found alongside the most popular transport service applications in the world, “said Guberinić. He pointed out that this was a great day for CarGo and that he was very proud of the established cooperation. “Switzerland is a landscaped coun-
try and we are very proud that the company from a regulated and developed country has accepted our way of doing business,” said Guberinić, adding that this is only the first step towards expanding the business under the previously announced investment cycle. Cevik said he was very happy with the long-term cooperation because he believes that the CarGo application will improve the transport service for Zurich citizens. “Our company has been operating in Switzerland for 35 years and we want it to develop, especially technologically. That’s why we are very happy that we can use the CarGo application as our partner, “said Cevik, adding that” CarGo is a well-known Serbian brand and a great new technology, extremely competitive, which can pave the way for Uber. ” Cevik pointed out that “Züri Taxi” is a trademark of the city of Zurich and will be the first in the canton of Zurich to cooperate with an application such as CarGo, which will be a novelty in the market. In addition to numerous well-known global transportation applications, we have decided on CarGo because we believe that we will improve our services with them and thus preserve customers in a very competitive and developed market,” he said.
WHY EXPANSION After considering four factors: location, talent, governmental policies, and quality of life, CarGo decided that Switzerland was the best choice for expanding business. It lies right in the heart of Europe's most densely populated area, and getting around the country is simple. It shouldn't surprise anyone that Switzerland often tops quality-of-life
Zurich is the first city in which CarGo applications will be available from mid-December
surveys, as well as the lists of the best countries in the world for expatriates. CarGo was founded in Belgrade in 2015. To date, the application has been downloaded 180,000 times from Google Apps and App Store, and 250 companies have established cooperation with CarGo Company, thus providing their employees with a safer and more convenient mode of transport.
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SSCC Focuses on Dual Education System The Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SSCC) has validated its role of an active collaborator of all relevant stakeholders in the implementation of dual education in Serbia I N T E RV I E W
A NA G RU J OV I Ć Director of Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce
n 2018, the SSCC decided to focus on dual education. The Chamber's biggest annual event – the conference „Dual Education Serbia 2018: Results So Far and Future Challenges“ – was held on 18th October, 2018 and gathered close to 100 participants. „We had a great honour of having such honorary guests as the Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development, Milan Šarčević, the Swiss Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro, H.E. Mr. Philippe Guex, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Marko Čadež, assistant minister for dual and entrepreneurial education at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Dr Gabrijela Grujić, as well as a special guest from Switzerland, Dr Ursula Renold, Head of the Department of Educational Research of the Swiss Economic Institute at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich,“ says Ana Grujović, Director of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce.
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To what extent do the worker profiles that are incorporated in the Serbian education system fit the labour needs of Swiss companies in Serbia? — In the current school year, a total of 12 new profiles were introduced in accordance with the needs of the labour market, namely in the fields of information technology, mechanical engineering, construction, food production and processing, hotel and tourism and other fields. In order to ensure the maximum participation of the SSCC member companies in the development and implementation of dual education system in Serbia, our Chamber organized an expert meeting on dual education with Dr. Gabrijela Grujić, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, as a honorary guest expert. On this occasion, our member companies had the opportunity to exchange experiences with recruitment of workforce, especially in the areas such as IT, food production and processing, wood processing, etc.
For the first time ever, the SSCC networked with all other bilateral business associations in Serbia this year, which resulted in the organization of the International Networking Cocktail in May
Did the Chamber undergo organizational changes in 2018? — Yes, in 2018, the SSCC got a new president, Mr. Majo Micović, general manager of Sky Express. As the Chamber's President, Mr. Micović will lead the future development of the SSCC and, together with other members of the Managing Board, support the programmes and activities of the Chamber in order to attain a high level of quality and excellence in the Chamber's operations. Furthermore, Ms. Jelena Drakulić Petrović, CEO of Ringier Axel Springer Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, was appointed a new member of the Managing Board. What were the Chamber's most important activities in 2018 in terms of its members? — As I mentioned before, in the course of 2018, the SSCC organized numerous events on the topic of dual education, such as the expert-level meeting with Dr. Gabrijela Grujić, a panel discussion at the Vivaldi Autumn Forum in Mokra Gora, and finally, the annual conference which was held as a part of the continuing Swiss-Serbian dialogue aimed at contributing to the development of a new education system in Serbia, as well as promoting the Swiss VET the system. Also, for the first time ever, the SSCC networked with all other bilateral business associations in Serbia this year, which resulted in the organization of the International Networking Cocktail in May, in cooperation with AHK Serbia, the Nordic Business Alliance, the Slovenian Business Club, and numerous other associations. The cooperation with our Swiss institutional partner is also continuing, and we are very happy that Switzerland Global Enterprise has recognized the SSCC as a reliable local partner.
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Both Stable and Innovative Risk-takers and risk-avoiders in one ECONOM Y
witzerland has one of the most competitive economies in the world thanks above all to its highly developed service sector. And it is funny to see that the huge revenue is made even in the primary sector, which accounts for less than 1% of the economy. You can call them conservative, but they innovate. You can laugh at the big debate if the cows should wear bells around their necks but they have the most democratic governance in the world, holding refrerenda for every tiny thing. They make best chocolates (OK, Belgians would disagree), they keep your money in the safest places, and they will give you a watch even in the era of mobile phones. They are the Swiss and they are not joking about economy.
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FACTS AND FIGURES Let us see some facts and figures from the official sites of their economy. ince Switzerland has no mineral resources, it must import, process and resell them as products. "Services" are the most important part of the economy. This includes banking, assurances and tourism. Farming is also an important part of the economy. But the production of the Swiss farmers does not fulfill the needs of all people, so Switzerland must rely on imported goods from other countries. Switzerland has the second highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the world. At the end of 2015 Swiss GDP per capita stood at CHF 77,943 (approx. EUR 73,000 or USD 81,000). Out of it all, about 74% of Swiss GDP is generated by the service sector and 25% by industry. The contribution from the agricultural sector is less than 1%. Yet they have the best milk for your Milkas, right? The European Union (EU) is Switzerland's main trading partner. Around 78% of Swiss imports are from the EU, while
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43% of Swiss exports are destined for EU countries. But they are not joining. They know they are better off out of it, just trading. Now the most interesting part: most Swiss firms (over 99%) are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These are defined as companies with fewer than 250 employees. Usually these companies are most innovative and family-owned, which helps preserving the national “tissue” and cohesion in society. The public debt-toGDP ratio in Switzerland has fallen considerably in recent years, from 54.6% in 1998 to 34.7% in 2014. Switzerland has the lowest rate of value-added tax in Europe. 8% is levied on most goods and services, 3.8% on accommodation services, and 2.5% on basic necessities and other everyday items. How very different if we think about the Balkans, where the defaulted goverments decide to raise the money from their citizens when they spend too much. Every year Switzerland spends close to 3% of its GDP, more than CHF 18.5 billion (around EUR 15 billion or USD 20.6 billion), on FA C T
WINNING COMBINATION In Switzerland, you can count on both stable quality and the innovative ideas, which is a bit contradictory, but also a winning combination.
research and development, and this is the crucial thing in innovating. Let us repeat something, Switzerland came third in the Global Innovation Index in the sub-category for ‘knowledge intensive employment’. Over three-quarters of this funding comes from the private sector. It is not just “take money and run” like in our countries, it is something much more. And look at this: Switzerland is the leading watch exporter, with 25.4 million wacthes exported a year, which generates almost 20 billion francs. Just watches. To make it even crazier, Switzerland exports some 2 billion francs in coffee, with is 2.5 times more than chocolate, and 3 times more than cheese. Coffee superpower? Sure it is. Just to make it right. And of course, they don't even produce it – they buy it from some warmer areas! That is the power of the brand and the knowledge in refinement. To shock you a bit fiurther, some 44% of the Swiss exports are chemical and pharmaceutical products. The Swiss might be conservative and risk-avoiding, but they are also risk-takers and innovators. The economy of Switzerland is one of the world's most stable economies. Its policy of longterm monetary security and political stability has made Switzerland a safe haven for investors, creating an economy that is increasingly dependent on a steady tide of foreign investment. But also, you can count on both stable quality and the innovative ideas, which is a bit contradictory, but also a winning combination.
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Development, Inclusion, Equilibrium! Switzerland is an ideal partner for the development of mountainous parts of Serbia
he economic cooperation between Serbia and Switzerland is picking up pace, and the action plan for Swiss assistance to Serbia from 2018 to 2021 will only help this trend. In the past few years, we have analyzed industry and trade, but now, at the beginning of 2019, we want to focus on a more coherent cooperation between our two countries, namely on good cooperation projects and the assistance. The project pertains to a cooperation strategy that, unlike other similar strategies which are mainly based on investments in areas around Belgrade and Novi Sad, will be implemented in the area where Serbia is deteriorating the most and where Switzerland can provide the best possible help - in the Serbian mountainous south.
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SWISS STRATEGY FOR SAVING THE SOUTH The Swss Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Philippe Guex presented the development strategy, the so-called Swiss Development Strategy for Serbia from 2018-2021, this year. The strategy has special emphasis on the mountainous and less developed parts of Serbia. Since Switzerland is a landlocked country, like Serbia, and also quite mountainous, again just like Serbia, particularly south of the Sava and Danube rivers, there is no better country than Switzerland to dispense advice and give instructions regarding regional development. The fact that Switzerland is a confederation entails that regional development is the country's imperative, meaning that the country cannot allow itself to fall into the
traps of the devastation of some of its parts due to lack of investments, which is a typical consequence of centralization. WHAT IS BEING PREPARED? Education, economic development, energy and local government reform are the key areas in which Switzerland will assist Serbia by 2021, in accordance with the new Cooperation Strategy with Serbia. Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office, Ursula Läubli says that the new strategy is a continuation of the successful cooperation between the two countries and that the areas which it covers coincide with the priorities of the Serbian government in the context of the European integration process. She also points out that Switzerland will invest in development projects in the south and southwestern Serbia in the upcoming period. “We are known for inclusive development, and these are the regions that suffer from greatest poverty and where the greatest investments have to be made. We have partners in Serbia such as the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities and the Ministry of State Administration and Local Self-Government ", said Läubli. The focus will be on local economic development, trade promotion, youth employment, dual education and private sector development with the aim of achieving sustainable development and quality employment, especially in rural areas. In the next four years, Switzerland will allocate 95 million euro toward these goals, which is 10% more than in the previous strategic period.
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Education, economic development, energy and local government reform are the key areas in which Switzerland will assist Serbia by 2021
In the area of management support, a total of 36 million euro will go toward the legislative bodies at the state and local level in order to strengthen the position of representative bodies, as well as their supervisory role. In the field of economic development and employment, a total of 45 million euro will be allocated with the view of improving the macroeconomic framework, business environment and inclusive policies to overcome inequalities. In the area of self-sustaining energy and resilient cities, a total of 14 million euro will be allocated toward boosting the utilization of renewable energy sources, supporting the implementation of energy efficiency measures and building local capacity for managing and planning infrastructure activities. In addition, the support in this area will be extended to activities that will contribute to the development of self-sustaining cities, with the aim of achieving national energy efficiency and renewable energy goals. Also, Switzerland will continue to address gender inequalities, with a special focus on the promotion of women's entrepreneurship and women's parliamentary networks that are lobbying for gender equality at the local level. CONCRETE OBJECTIVES The goal of Swiss cooperation with Serbia is to create 7,000 new jobs by 2021, 10 million euro of revenues, 7 million euro of export in the ICT sector and improve living conditions for 10,000 people living in the most endangered areas in Serbia, as well as have better services in 100 local governments. All in all, a great project!
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AC T I V I T I E S OF T H E S S CC
Dynamic and Successful Year
Networking is undoubtedly the key word that marked the operations of the Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SSCC) in Serbia in 2018, while probably the most important event that the Chamber would like to single out was the conference on dual education modelled after Switzerland
SSCC Conference on dual education, October 2018
he Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has had an exceptionally dynamic year with many networking opportunities, as well as opportunities for presentation of the Chamber's operations and organization of important events of which we would like to single out the dual education conference called „Dual Education Serbia 2018: Current results and future challenges“ which took place in October this year as the most important one. At the Kopaonik Business Forum in March 2018, the SSCC organized a business networking cocktail at which Mrs Ana Govedarica, Vice President of the SSCC, greeted the guests, and gave a short overview of the Chamber's work and activities. The new opportunity for the SSCC members to gather again happened in May 2018. President of the SSCC, Mr. Majo Mićović and the host Mrs Yana Mikhailova greeted the guests. On the occasion, two Chamber members – Sky Express d.o.o. and the INP Group – presented their companies, and there was also a presenation of the project „The League of Successful“. The main goal of the project is to present those SSCC members that have greatly contributed and demonstrated strong dedication to
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the SSCC's operations to other members and the overall Swiss-Serbian business community. Another gathering, the International Networking Cocktail, was held on May 24th, 2018 and attracted more than 200 participants, mainly top management from companies that are members of 11 bilateral chambers from Serbia. In a relaxed atmosphere, the SSCC members used this opportunity for business networking and establishing new business contacts with representatives of the German, French, Nordic, Italian, Belgian, Hellenic, Japanese, Croatian, Slovenian and Canadian chambers. In June, an HR seminar "SSCC HR CONNECT MEETING" was organized in cooperation with the Mokra Gora School of Management (MGSM) where MGSM organized lectures on four different topics that were intended for senior HR representatives of the SSCC members. There were also two events dedicated to dual education. The SSCC panel on dual education was held at the Vivaldi Forum in September 2018. Also, in order to adequately prepare the conference on dual education, the SSCC organized an expert meeting on dual education with Dr. Gabrijela Grujić, Assistant Minister from the Ministry of Education, Science and Techno-
One of the most important events in 2018 was certainly the SSCC conference on dual education called "Dual Education Serbia 2018: Current results and future challenges"
logical Development of the Republic of Serbia, as a honorary guest expert at this event. The meeting was organized with the view of the SSCC members exchanging experiences in the field of labour recruitment and identifying key topics for discussion at the conference. A meeting was held on Wednesday, 20th June, 2018 at the premises of Roche d.o.o. Serbia which was helmed by the SSCC President, Mr. Majo Mićović and Dr. Garbrijela Grujić. One of the most important events in 2018 was certainly the SSCC conference on dual education called "Dual Education Serbia 2018: Current results and future challenges", which was held in October, as part of a continuing Swiss-Serbian dialogue aimed at contributing to the development of a new education system in Serbia, and promoting the Swiss VET system. His Excellency Mr. Philippe Guex, the ambassador of Switzerland expressed his satisfaction that the topic of dual education was opened, as it is extremely important for the relations between Switzerland and Serbia: "Switzerland will remain committed to promoting youth employment in Serbia, with approximately 9 million euro to be in vested in the next four years. In addition to these funds, Switzerland has made its expertise and know-how available to Serbia to support the reforms in the country" said the ambassador at this gathering. Dr. Ursula Renold, Head of the Department of Educational Research of the Swiss Economic Institute at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, was one of the key speakers at the conference, and she is also the only international honorary member of the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for dual education. The Swiss-Serbian Chamber of Commerce is satisfied with its role of an active collaborator of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, the Swiss Embassy and all other important stakeholders in this extraordinary project," said Majo Mićović, President of the Swiss-Serbian
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Minister Šarčević at SSCC Conference on dual education
Chamber of Commerce. The conference was supported by Marko Čadež, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, who underlined the immeasurable role of the Swiss experts in this venture. Just like it started, in the spirit of networking and improvement, the year 2018 ended on the same note. The autumn working breakfast organized by SSCC members, Confida Consulting d.o.o and Gebrüder Weiss was held at the end of November 2018 in Beton Hala, Belgrade. The lecture and panel discussion were conducted by the members of the taxation department from CONFIDA Consulting and members of the customs department from Gebrüder Weiss who
shared their know-how in the field of active inward processing from the customs perspective. The event brought together about 100 participants, including SSCC members, as well as other organizations: the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK - Serbia), the trade department of the Embassy of Austria, the Slovenian Business Club, the Belgian-Serbian Business Association. JBAS, as well as the Italian and Greek chambers in Serbia. Seminar "Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in Serbia", organized by a SSCC member, MSA IP - Milojević, Sekulić and Associates, held in late November 2018 in the premises of MSA IP, gathered about 40 participants.
SSCC panel on dual education at the Vivaldi HR Forum
Mr. Mićović and Mrs. Mikhailova
The special eye hospital “Vidar-Orasis Swiss” was founded in 2010 in Novi Sad. Owing to its responsible and dedicated work, it has since then succeeded in being recognized as an institution that provides high quality opthalmological services. In addition to successful work in the field of opthalmologic diagnos-tics, the eye clinic “Vidar-Orasis Swiss” performs state-of-the-art surgical and laser procedures in treating cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases, eye injuries and laser correction of dioptric errors (presbyopia - farsightedness, myopia - shortsightedness, astigmatism etc.). Our everyday work is based on the expertise and rich experience of our professional staff, and is supported by the application of precise modern technology, which together contributes to the maximum safety and efficiency of procedures and treatment for our patients.
Share with us your concern about your vision!
Tel. Info +381 65 522 3860 Bulevar Oslobođenja 76a, 21000 Novi Sad info@vidar.rs • www.vidar.rs
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Tik Tok The Land where Time Began C U LT U R E
here is a piece of history which always accompanies us no matter where we are- the watch. Swiss watchmakers have firmly established themselves as the worlds’ leading time creators over the past three centuries. In 1601, the foundation of Swiss watch-making was established in Geneva, marking a major step in establishing Switzerland as a time destination throughout the world. By 1704 watch making dominated the Swiss economy., and today, the creation of these high end watches employs over 56,000 highly skilled workers. You might be wondering why this
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country was picked as the “time creators”, and strangely the story behind this is quite simple. Switzerland’s cold winters forced many Swiss farmers indoors, they shortly started spending hours creating and assembling watch components, mostly for firms based in Geneva. Fortunately, as Europe boomed in industrialization in 1800’s, Switzerland’s watch industry grew along with it. The Swiss have one unique aspects in all of their watches, and that is the “made in Switzerland” allure. The term “Swiss Made” is a form of brand protection, and for a watch maker to place
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this original stamp, it has to have at least 60% manufactured Swiss parts. “If you don’t have a Rolex by the time you reach 50, then you have clearly failed in your life.” The French advertising executive Jacuques Seguela once said. When one hears the word Rolex, luxury and class comes to mind. This brand has been around for over a century and has been coined in making “the only watch that matters.” It provides special and high quality features, making it the most eminent luxury watch brand in the world. Every watch is handmade in Switzerland. Every piece of the machine is given attention, dedication and most importantly soul, making the quality assurance process rather intense. Believe it or not, Rolex is the only watchmaker which makes its own gold, as they control the production head to toe. They strictly ensure not only the
When one hears the word Rolex, luxury and class comes to mind
quality but the physical image of the extraordinary materials. The history behind Rolexes name is simpler than it looks. The Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf admitted the name was picked due to its simplicity, he wanted something which can be easily pronounced in any language and looked good at a watch face. When it comes to water, Rolex doesn’t disappoint either. The watch has gone to the deepest point of the ocean. When James Cameron descended into the Mariana Trench in 2012. The guaranteed waterproof of 12,000 meters was successfully conquered as the watch kept perfect time throughout the 7 hour underwater journey! Time has a wonderful way of showing us what really matters, and having a Swiss watch is a lens through which time guides us to conquer new heights.
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Alma Quattro - “Crown Jewel” in APG | SGA Group Porftolio Alma Quattro is the first and leading OOH provider in the country and part of the Swiss APG | SGA Group. As a Swiss company with Serbian management, Alma Quattro combines the best of Swiss precision, stability and technology with Serbian knowledge of the local market and flexibility C O R P O R AT E
SA N JA P E Š I Ć Photo: Alex Dmitrović
CEO of Alma Quattro
018 is the year that the APG | SGA Group confined it’s foreign operations solely to the Serbian market, declaring Alma Quattro 'the crown jewel' in their portfolio. After a successful 2017, we had another very successful year in terms revenues, supported by positive signals in the local economy. Our company recorded fantastic results, exceeding our own revenue expectations by 54% and having the most successful November in the last 24 years in regard to sales. Although the elections in Serbia were held in March 2018, the contribution of political advertising to the revenue was negligible as commercial advertising continues to dominate over political one. Our business results in 2018 are a validation of our efforts in the previous period and an indicator of the good business course. This validation is not only internal, but external as well. For the second consecutive year, we are the recipients of the AAA Gold Certificate from Bisnode for outstanding credit rating that places us among top 2.15% companies in the country. Not only that, this certificate is issued under same rigorous criteria as in Europe, meaning Alma Quattro stands shoulder to shoulder with companies from EU that possess the same certificate.
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We were complimented for our strong market position and efficient local organization by the APG | SGA Group, as we worked hard last year to expand our already impressive portfolio. The confidenc in our media has grown, despite the fact that the growing digital sector made us contemplate about the place that our media have in the marketing mix. Following global trends in digitization and the use of supplementary products such as advertising on street furniture, we implemented significant changes in the local market. We have formed a public-private partnership with the City of Belgrade, while striving to contribute in a way that will provide value to citizens of Belgrade. In 2018, we installed automated public toilets in several locations in Belgrade, all accessible to disabled people, designed by JCDecaux, manufactured in line with European standards and tested in France. Early 2018 was marked by installment another community-centric innovation, Live Touch Panels at 7 bus stops in the very center of Belgrade. The panels give information about time and weather, and contain an interactive map of Belgrade with customised information for tourists. In 2018, eleven latest-generation 84’’ LCD screens installed were in Knez Mi-
Our business results in 2018 are a validation of our efforts in the previous period and an indicator of the good business course
hailova Street, another attractive and promising investment for Alma Quattro. Alma Quattro will also celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2019. This jubilee will be marked by more work, dedication and new, technologically advanced media. In December 2018 and January 2019, we will be replacing 7 billboard 4x3 scrolls with the state-ofthe-art LCD screens that will feature 6 slots for advertising messages within one minute. This investment has already received positive feedback from clients, resulting in campaigns that are booked in advance. In the future, we will strive to catch up to VIOOH (Viewed Impressions for Out Of Home) - global, independent platform for automated planning and booking of campaigns in DOOH. This platform will accelerate the development of OOH and make this industry more programmatic. VIOOH's mission is to increase budgets for OOH by creating an integrated platform that will offer media buyers an opportunity to book campaigns for OOH as they do for digital media in a programmatic sense. The relevant projections saysthat DOOH will be the fastest growing medium during 2017 - 2020 period, as this platform will help to build our capacities in order to satisfy the growing customer, client, brand and agency expectations and demands. We believe that OOH can compete with digital advertising by transforming its portfolio using data and technology in creating optimised campaigns. VIOOH is completely in sync with GDPR rules and hence will always and without exception protect privacy and data of its users.
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Melt-in-theMouth The secret Recipes from the Chocolate Creators SPIRIT
id you know, it takes 400 cocoa beans to make 400 grams of chocolate? And it takes two to four working days to make a single serving chocolate bar? In Switzerland, this delicacy has been more than just a sweet temptation for over 200 years. Chocolate in this small country, is a big tradition. They give inventive spirit, quality conciseness, and hard work into every bite, providing their customers with an uninhibited sense of taste and enjoyment. It was 1879 when Rodolphe Lindt, the son of a Bernese pharmacist decided to make chocolate. Chocolate at that time was far different from what we call “mouth-melting” today. Hard to chew and even more difficult to process. Working on perfecting the recipe for a few years with his pharmacist brother, it wasn’t until he forgot to switch off his machines in the factory that Lindt finally got what his imagination craved. Returning back to work on a bright Monday morning, he was
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name plus “torrone” which is an Italian word for a type of nougat. Believe it or not if you lay out all of the Toblerone chocolate bars that were sold each year, it would be 62,000 kilometers long, which is longer than the circumference of the Earth! When it comes to chocolate, the Swiss have a history of long-standing excellence in the field. Many of today’s famous chocolatiers still use their traditional recipes, with every sweet treat being handmade. In the present day, Switzerland is well-known for its cocoa creations. From historic purveyors to modern masters, they guarantee great service, beautiful presentation and above all fantastic quality which makes you crave for more with every bite that you take.
the first person to ever experience how chocolate melts in the mouth, this young man felt seventh heaven. With this accident, he has created the innovative Conche technique, where he blended cacao over the course of days to reach and developed a perfect flavor and consistency. Lindt’s has remained a symbol of not only the world most renowned Swiss chocolate, but also a figure of innovation and successful spirit of the young entrepreneur. As this sweet article is based on one of the most enjoyable tastes on the planet, how could we possibly forget the Toblerone. With its Matterhorn Mountain shaped triangles, cleverly presented in a prismatic packaging, the Toblerone is one of Switzerland’s most well known export chocolates. Its creation, thanks to Theodore Tobler and his cousin Emil Baumann in 1908, has been a world changing phenomena, as it stays one of the worlds’ most unique tastes and packages. As you probably realized the name comes from its founders last SY M B OL
FIGURE OF INNOVATION Lindt’s has remained a symbol of not only the world most renowned Swiss chocolate, but also a figure of innovation and successful spirit of the young entrepreneur.
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Good News for the Bad News Biochar has excellent absorption capacities and it removes hormone like substances and drug residues from drinking water C O R P O R AT E
owadays newspapers are filled with disturbing reports about the alarming condition of the environment. Rising global temperatures, polluted oceans, decreasing soil fertility, multi-resistant bacteria, rising sea level and many more are just some problems our civilization is facing. The world's population is growing and driving towards the catastrophic point of no return. Many programs from governmental and non-governmental organizations such as Ministries, World Bank, UNDP are trying to keep the damage limited but it is a race against time. Without drastic action humanity will suffer unpredictable consequences. One of the scarce movements that are trying to solve these problems on a multi disciplinary scale is the movement of Biochar. Through carbonization of organic matter, the CO2 captured during Photosynthesis, will be embedded in a stable carbon grid and provides a natural way to remove CO2 from the air. In this production process a lot of heat energy emerges and CO2 is removed from the air. In fact you catch two birds with one stone. The remaining Biochar can be applied in many beneficial ways in order to restore a natural equilibrium. The company BASNA in Cacak, Serbia has specialized in producing Biochar for animal feed additive, which improves animal health and reduces the needs
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www.basna.net
The possibilities of beneficial Biochar applications are endless and any way of using it is removing CO2 from the air with simultaneous sustainable energy production
for antibiotics. At the same time the animal performance is rising. Feeding Biochar to animals leads to increased feed conversion rate, higher milk and egg production, improved meat quality and reduces the aggressive behavior of animals in indoor enclosures. And on top of that the Biochar particles get charged with plant available nutrients in the manure and that way reduce the need for mineral fertilizers. This mixture of manure and biochar restore organic matter in the ground, store water in dry periods and prevent pesticides of leaking into the ground water. But the benefits of Biochar do not end here. Biochar is an all-rounder! It is applied in agriculture where it can drive conventional farming towards organic and sustainable agriculture without any compromises in performance. In fact it will even reduce workload and running-costs. Biochar will improve plant growth, yield and fruit quality, restore humus in the ground and strengthen the plant resistance against diseases and insects, which at the same time reduces the need for pesticides and mineral fertilizers. Applied in city parks, road greening
and green areas Biochar improves water-holding capacity and reduces the storm water flooding in sewers. In fact half of the sea level rise since the last 150 years is not melted polar or glacier ice, but not-retained groundwater. Biochar is also applied in Biogas production in order to raise the electrical output and stabilize the microbiology. In other words it makes sustainable energy production more profitable. And again the digestate will improve its fertilizer properties and support plant cultures with all its positive side effects of rebuilding humus, water storage capacity and preventing chemicals of leaking into the ground water. Not enough yet? Biochar has excellent absorption capacities and it removes hormone like substances and drug residues from drinking water. Biochar in building materials has proven to improve insulation properties without compromising stability. It leads to less weight and thus leaner and more efficient construction practice while providing better insulated houses in winter and summer. Latest studies are experimenting with Biochar as replacement for grapheme particles in the accumulators of every day battery driven electrical gadgets, such as mobile phones and electric cars. The possibilities of beneficial Biochar applications are endless and any way of using it is removing CO2 from the air with simultaneous sustainable energy production. In fact by heating your swimming pool in wintertime, you are actually doing more good for the environment than if you weren’t heating it!
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Grüezi. Bonjour. Buongiorno Switzerland – see, feel, experience TOURISM
hen one imagines the most peaceful country in Europe, where nature is pleased with simplicity, wars were avoided, and its people live in a fairytale surrounded by multicultural sophistication, it is surely Switzerland. From quaint villages facing the snowcapped peaks of the neighboring Alps, glittering blue lakes, and emerald valleys, the country indeed withholds a unique area of our planet. Tourists plan their trip to Switzerland to witness jaw-dropping scenery and diverse cultural attractions, but most importantly bond with the astonishing nature. Steeped in history, Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva offer extraordinary museums, galleries and renowned music festivals for the lovers of history and sound. The active tourist can find a never ending amount of ski slopes, hiking paths, and paragliding scenery, all on their doorsteps. Switzerland can sometimes feel like several countries in one as its particularity lies within Italian architecture, Latin, Swiss, and German dialects, and differing French based cuisine. Just when you think you’ve seen enough for the day, you will pass through innumerable canals, shimmering lakes, and reminiscing countryside, which no matter what you are feeling at the moment, will restore faith in the positive aspects of life. One of the “must see” locations would definitely be the Matterhorn in Zermatt. This pyramid shaped giant is unarguably the most
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photographed mountain in the world, and therefore, Switzerland’s most famous Alpine peak. It stands at 4,478 meters in height and attracts worldwide mountain climbers to conquer its peak. Yet another bombing sight of the nation is the Chateau de Chillon. Located in Montreux, the heart of the Swiss Riviera in the banks of Lake Geneva, this castle is a four-century old water
fortress, which served as the seat of the wealthy Counts of Savoy. While parading through its ancient walls you are likely to encounter 14th century paintings, towers, subterranean vaults, secretive bedrooms and medieval weaponry and furniture, all of it in its original form. This is by far one of the most visited historic buildings in Switzerland and certainly a top place to visit. When you think you’ve seen it all, wait for the great surprise. Switzerland’s only national park is a spectacle not to be overlooked. The Schweizerischer Na-
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UNIQUE From quaint villages facing the snow-capped peaks of the neighboring Alps, glittering blue lakes, and emerald valleys, the country indeed withholds a unique area of our planet.
tional Park features 172 square kilometers of unspoiled, magnificent scenery. You will be witnessing snow-encrusted glaciers, mighty waterfalls, and lush woodlands. The 21 hiking routes present in the park allow visitors to bond with the flora and fauna of the sight, and even encounter golden eagles, ibexes, and marmots! Switzerland is that particular place which will leave an impact in one’s mind forever. For all the wondering, adventurous souls out there, Switzerland is where your salvation is. The Swiss beauty is un un describable mix of poetically sculpted houses, cuckoo clocks, and benevolent people. It is a place to see, feel and experience.